4 Most Difficult Camera Installs (Statistics)

Published Jul 12, 2018 15:29 PM

Heavy housings, cumbersome brackets, heavy ladders required, and tricky field of view requirements will cause difficulties no matter the camera manufacturer, because of the install location or complexity of the camera technology.

This continues IPVM series including Top Features for Easy Install and Worst Features for Camera Install.

In this note we review the top 4 most difficult type of camera installs from 140 integrator responses:

  • PTZ Cameras
  • High / Exterior Mounted Cameras
  • Multi-Imager Cameras
  • License Plate Recognition Cameras

PTZ *******

*** **** ****** ********* ********* **** PTZ ******* ** *** **** ********* cameras ** *******. **** *********** ***** that *** ******* *** ****** *** heavier (**** * ******* **** ******), while **** ****** *****-**** ****** ** the ******* ****** **** **** **** of *******:

  • "* *** ******. **** *** ******* and ******* ******** ***** ********* ** the ******** *******."
  • "***. *** ** ****** *** ****** of ********** "
  • "**** ***** ** ******* ***** *** cameras"
  • "********* *****, ***** *, ***. * PTZ ******* ******* **** *** ** heavy."
  • "***** **** **** *** ** *** size"
  • "**** ******** **** ********* ***** *** camera"
  • "*** ******** **** *** *** ********* be *** **** ********* ********* ** the *******"
  • "******** ******* ***-****-**** ******* *** ** the ****** *** ****** ** ***** typical ************ ****** *****"
  • "******* ***/**** ******* ** *** ****** - *** **** ******* ** * ladder ********** * *-*-*, **** **** blowing ** ** *******"
  • "**** ******* ***'*. ********* ** *** location * **** *** ** ****** and ****** * ****** **********. **** are *** ******** ** ******* *** are ******* ** **** ** ***** areas."
  • "*** * ***** *****. *******, **** proper ********* *** ******* ****** **** locations ** ****"
  • "***, *****, *****."
  • "*** ** * ***** *********. ******** needs ** ** **** ******, ******** cables ** ********* *** ** * pain, *****,
  • "***** *** *******"
  • "******** ***"
  • "**** *** *** **** ********* ** the ****** ***** ** ** * little ***** *********"
  • "***. ******, ******** ******, ******* *********."
  • "***; ** ******** *** **** ****** to **** "
  • "**** ******* *** *******"

***** ******* ********* ****** ***** *** ******** **** *** years. ** *** ****** ********** ******* fixed **** ******* *** **** ********* to *** *** ******* ** *******. Unless ***** ** * ******** *********** need *** ******* **** ************, *** cameras *** *** ** ***** *** extra **** *** ******.

**** ***/** ******** ******* *******

*** **** ****** ********* **** ************* requiring **** **** ****** (*****, **** ceilings, **** ******) *** **** ******** cameras. *********** ***** ************ ****** ******** which *** ******* ******** ***********, **** ladders ** *****, *** ******** **** hard ********:

  • "**** ******. ********* *** **** *****, weather *******, ******, ***."
  • "******** ***** ** ****. **** ***********."
  • "******** ***/** **********. ********* ******* ** higher **** *******"
  • "******** ******* *** ********* *** **** difficult ** ******* **** *** ********* time ** ********, ********, ******, ******** and ********** *************** *** ******* ** height *********."
  • "********, ***** ******* ***** *****, **** pan ********, ***** ** ******* ****."
  • "******* ******* *******. **** ***** ***** require **** ******* ** ***** ** prevent *********** ** ****** ******** *****. They ******* *** ****, *** ****** and ******* *** ***** *** ***** and ****** ****** ******* ** ***** two *****."
  • "********* *** **** ************, ** ***** pole ******. ***** ******* ******* ******, special ******** ***** ** **** ******. Also ******* ** * *********, ****** high ******* *****."
  • "******** *** ** ** ********* ******, you **** ** **** * ******* amount ** ***** *** ***** *** also ***'* **** ** **** ** drop ******** **** **-** ****."
  • "**** ******* ** ******** ******** *** mounts. ******** ******* ******** ********, ********** through ****, ***."
  • "******* *******, ** *** ********"
  • "*** *******, ****** ******* **** *** usually *******, **** ** ** *** building *** ******* *** *** ** a **** ** *******."
  • "****-***** *******"
  • "***** ******** *****, ** ********* **** sensitive ******* *********."
  • "******* **** **** *** *** ***** etc"
  • "******** ******* ******** ******. **** ** take **** ******* ******** ** *** hours, **** **** *** ****."

Multi-Imagers

************** *****-******* ******* ******** ****** ***** over * ****** ******* **** *** housing (*** ********-****** ********). *******, *********** ***** **** *** large ******* ***** *** ********** ****** increase *** ********** ** **** **** of ****** ************:

  • "************, **** ****** **** *** ***** are ***** ***** * ***** ******* depending ** *** ******** *** *** user **."
  • "*********** ******* ****** ** **** ******* due ** ***** ******, *** *** lack ** **** ********** ******** ***********."
  • "******* *****-****** *******"
  • "******* ****** ********-**: *** *** **** sensor *** ***** ** *** **** base ****** ** ********* ** **** a ******** ******* ****** **** *** base ** ****** ** ** ***** in ******* ************ *********."
  • "**** *****. *** *** ** *****, pain ** *** *** ** ****-**."
  • "*****-****** ******* **** ***. (******'* ****) Great ******, ***** ***, ** ***** at ******** **** ***** ** ********* for ******** ***** ******* *****. **** has ** **** ***, **** *** to **** ***, ****** *** ** go **** **, **** *** ** be ********, *** **** ****** *** check. ****** *** **** **** *** customer ** '*****' "
  • "*** ************ (****** ***) *** ********* cameras *** ** **** *** ****** and *** ** **** ************* ** camera *********"
  • "**** ***** ******* **** *** ********* PanoVu"
  • "*****-****** ******"

**** ********** ******** ********* ***** ** ** opportunity *** ************* ** ************* ***** cameras ** ********** *** ******* *********, weight, *** ********** ** ********* *** imagers.

License ***** *********** *******

*******, *** ******* *** * ***** product, *** **** *********** ***** **** its ******** ************ *** ******** ******** make *** ************ ** ***** *********** cameras *********. **** ***** ** *** area *** ** *** ****** ************ to ************* ***** ******** **** **** with **** ********** ************:

  • "*** ******* *** ** ****** ******** at *** ****** ***** *** ***"
  • "...********* ******* ***** ******"
  • "*** ******* *** ** *** ****** of **** ** *** ******* ** the ****** ******** *** ******* ***** lanes, ******* ****** ** ******** ** parking ***. ******* *********, *******, *********, etc."
  • "***** ****** ************ ********** ***** ********* license ***** ******* ** ****** ****** ID"
  • "*** ** **** *** ****** *** you **** ** ** **** ******** at *****.
  • "***, *** **** ** *** *** right ***** *** ********. "
  • "*********** **** * ***** *** ******* plate *******. *** **** ** **** a ****** **** **** ******* *** viewing ***** (**** ********** *** ********) are ******** ** **** ** *** distance ** *** ********."
Comments (12)
Avatar
Kyle Folger
Jul 12, 2018
IPVMU Certified

I would say from my experience, the most difficult part of any camera install is simply non ideal mounting surfaces. I've had no issue installing any of the multi-sensor cameras once the main mount is attached. The Axis P3707 was pretty easy to install on a new build. We told the electrician where to place the ceiling electrical box and it was fairly straight forward. If you have EIFS without plywood or steel building with thin siding, that makes the install take much longer with a heavier camera.

If you are up in the air and are trying to install multi-sensor cameras or PTZs from a ladder, then that would be poor planning as you should be on a lift. I'm not sure if anyone does but anything is more difficult using an extension ladder.

I won't comment on LPR setups as the difficulty is really in the pre-planning and final calibration.

Perhaps there should be an article about what takes the longest to install.

I forgot, the P3707 would be much easier if there was motorized zoom, but I believe that's coming soon.

 

(1)
(1)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jul 12, 2018

Anyone ever install underwater(salt) infrared cameras? Think submarine base and detecting rogue scuba divers.

Avatar
Michael Gonzalez
Jul 12, 2018
Confidential

I looked at these to monitor underwater intake structures for critical power plants. There are a few options out there, most of them are gas filled domes. The installation requires divers and highly specialized technicians, and maintenance was going to be a nightmare, so we found another solution without video verification of alarms.

Not ideal, but until they make this easier, or we manufacture our own rig to raise the thing out of the water for maintenance, it's a no go.

(1)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jul 12, 2018

Sounds like some you have had some fun projects!. Let's invent the scuba drone!

 

 

(1)
U
Undisclosed #2
Jul 13, 2018

The Arecont Vision AV8185DN-HB is a preconfigured 180 Camera, not sure why this would be a difficult camera to mount and angel and be done with it. As for the Arecont Multi-Sensors (compared to the others listed), Their G3 Series, You can move and focus from your boxer shorts and slippers all while your Air Conditioned office from anywhere there is internet as it can be remotely set up once its mounted.  

Avatar
Sean Patton
Jul 13, 2018

If you've never installed one, and I've only installed about 40 of them, it's hard to imagine the amount of steps and amount of disassembly required just to reassemble the camera back inside one of the mounts.

Here is the installation manual for that camera: AV8185 Install Manual

They're also nearly 7" in diameter which is about as wide as a PTZ camera, so its a little difficult to handle with a single hand in you're on a ladder.

U
Undisclosed #2
Jul 13, 2018

I do understand your points. But this is an article released July 2018. The Arecont Vision Part# AV8185DN-HB Camera was released in 2010 when no one else had anything like it. This was their 2nd generation 180. They are now on their 5th generation of the same setup with many dealer input revisions ridding them of many of the points you make. The mention of it coupled with multi-imagers, that are not pre-configured 180 Panoramics but more Omni-Directional as The photo shows a different camera than the bullet pointed part#.  I understand all multi-imagers would have to have some higher level of difficulty compared to a flat dome of any kind. 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Jul 13, 2018

Can you sit in your boxers and unstick the IR Cut Filter?

(2)
UE
Undisclosed End User #4
Jul 15, 2018

I can, i pick up my phone and the low man on the totem pole takes care of it. Life is quite perfect here!

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Avatar
Jeffrey Hinckley
Jul 18, 2018

“These results indicate why PTZ use has declined...” is a false statement.  Now that we use Hi-POE, no more dedicated power supplies.  The camera is provided for functionality (live investigation) with today better low light abilities (color at night).  It may weigh a little more, but if you install the wall mount first, protrude the terminated RJ45 cable, then attach the camera and safety cable, no need to revisit for alignment.  For remote inter city, it is the only way to go (no revisits with a lift to reorient-detectives can move as needed).

Now that we have 1080+ with ultra low light, I use them much more now than a couple years ago (when there were only SD and they were more expensive, requiring power cables to be run for -40c).

JH
John Honovich
Jul 18, 2018
IPVM

Jeffrey, PTZ usage overall has declined. This is a general and correct statement of the market as a whole. 

We're not claiming that everyone uses PTZs less, your experience is perfectly valid but an outlier to the market as a whole.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Jul 20, 2018

Hardest to install was the old motorized pan tilt mounts, lugging around  75 pound mounts all day.